The Natural Course
by sabra jaguar
Summary: Rip Hunter was certain it was just a matter of time before Ray came to him, demanding they save Anna. He just wasn't sure why it hadn't happened yet. Missing scene for Last Refuge. Minor character death mentioned.
Missing scene for Last Refuge. Just wanted a little more focus on Anna, and hoping this works with what the show gave us. Beta-read by helloyesimhere, who has been absolutely amazing!

Characters are not mine! Mistakes, well, guess I'll claim those.

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From the moment the Pilgrim revealed the identities of her hostages, Rip Hunter knew the timeline would be twisted into an unrecognizable shape before those individuals could be returned to their proper places in time. Too many of the people on his team had tragedies in their past. It was a foregone conclusion that they would try to fix things, to save those they had lost or give themselves some hope for when they were returned to their time. Jax and Mick had already tried to change things into what they considered better and it was most likely just a matter of time before certain others followed suit.

Rip sighed. Jax warning his father of his impending death probably wouldn't have much impact on the timeline. It was his father's example, not his death, that had shaped Jefferson Jackson into the good man—the hero—he'd grown up to become. Having his father there while growing up could only strengthen that influence. Rip hoped things would work out for the young man, and that the timeline wouldn't punish Jax for wanting to have his dad in his life.

Mr. Rory...Again, Rip didn't see the timeline imploding over Mick's choice. Telling a young, moody, rebellious hothead not to do something almost guaranteed they would. Though, it spoke well of the older Mick that he wanted to turn out differently, and Rip sincerely did want change for the man now. He hoped Mick was able to make peace with himself, even if he couldn't change the events that had shaped him in the past.

Which brought him to Dr. Palmer. Ray had not yet come to him demanding they change history to save his former fiancée, Anna, but Rip was certain it was coming. Ray most likely wouldn't act first, but he'd barge in, all stubborn idealism and determined to be her hero. To redeem his past helplessness.

Preserving the timeline was Rip's responsibility. He still believed in his purpose as a Time Master, even if he could no longer fully believe in the organization. He just wasn't sure he had the right to stop Ray if the man chose to save one woman at the risk of the future. Not when he considered his own motivations.

Maybe it was time to approach the man directly. He wondered briefly if another of his team might be better able to reason with Ray, but he knew he couldn't send someone else. He might come across as hypocritical, trying to convince Ray to sacrifice Anna for the good of the mission, but he wouldn't be a coward on top of that.

"Gideon, please locate Dr. Palmer," he commanded the ship's A.I.

"Dr. Palmer is currently in the lab," Gideon's artificial voice announced. Rip glanced up from his plans, a bit surprised by Ray's current position. He'd expected the man to be with Anna, spending what little time he had left with her. Surely it wasn't because of Kendra he was keeping away. Kendra was an understanding woman and knew quite a bit more than most people about past loves and the hold they could have on someone. Surely she wouldn't hold it against Ray if he wanted some time alone with his lost love.

Rip strode down to the Waverider's lab area, hoping to get some more insight on the matter.

He found Ray bent over the Atom suit, fiddling with the wiring in the wrist gauntlets. "Dr. Palmer. I expected to find you with one of your fiancées."

Ray looked up at the interruption, and smiled sheepishly. "Wow, when put that way, it makes me sound like the kind of guy who fakes business trips to visit his other family... The time stream—it doesn't work that way, right?"

Rip sighed. "I'm not accusing you of having a girl in every time port, Raymond. I simply thought that you might want to take this time to gain closure with your former fiancée. Some would consider this a rare opportunity, the chance to say goodbye." Rip studied Ray carefully, waiting for him to bring up his own loss, throw the reminder of their mission's purpose back in his face.

The easy smile slid from the other man's face. "I... I don't think I can. Not this time." He turned back to his project, poking at another bit of wire.

Rip's concern faded, replaced by anger at the scientist's callousness. This wasn't what he'd expected from Ray at all. He grabbed Ray by the arm, spinning the startled man around to face him. "What is your problem?" he hissed. "Do you realize how many times I've tried to go back for my family, and you ignore the chance that just falls in your lap?"

He glared at Ray, watched him take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Ray replied quietly, "I...I just can't..." He shook his head, as though he were trying to gather his thoughts. "There's this one _Star Trek_ episode, _'City on the Edge of Forever...'_ I never really got it til now."

Another fictional reference. Discussing deceased loved ones and Ray Palmer was referencing science fiction. Rip fought the urge to hit him. Ray wasn't finished speaking, though, and he added, "I always hated that part when Spock said Edith Keeler had to die so that the timeline could be spared. I always thought I'd have found a way to save her regardless, I'd have found a way to make everything right if I were Kirk. Then Anna... And—I was useless. Then I started thinking that if I had—if I had a time machine, I would go back, find a way to save her. All that time spent building the Atom suit, that thought stuck in the back of my mind. It was easy to wish, because I knew how improbable it was," Ray laughed humorlessly. "Now this chance, as you said, falls right into my lap, and I still can't save her."

Rip's anger faded at Ray's response. "Why do you say that?" Rip asked, not unkindly. He didn't know why he was trying to sound out the man's motives. He had already gotten what he needed out of the discussion, the assurance that the timeline wouldn't be altered. Still, he found himself wanting to know why Ray chose not to take the risk.

Ray picked up the bit of wire he'd pulled from his suit, twisting it in his hands as he took a moment to compose himself. He said, "This wasn't what I'd planned for my life, trying to save the world. I was going to change the world through scientific breakthroughs, through technological advancements, not by playing superhero and trying to stop immortal despots from conquering the future. I had wanted to take Anna away from Starling City, find somewhere safer to live. If I'd done that, I wouldn't have been there to help counter the virus Ra's al Ghul released. Even if I had been there, I wouldn't have had the connection to the Arrow to support the team and help to save the city. So many people could have died and I wouldn't have known there was a way I could help. I don't know if anyone with the knowledge needed would have been in a position to step up if I hadn't been there, but it's not a maybe that I can live with right now. I don't know that I'm a better man for it, but I've changed so much in the past few years. And I just can't bear to look at Anna and this time know I have to be the one to send her to her death, when just a short while ago I would have done anything to prevent it, and I was powerless. Now I feel like I'm just as much her killer as the man who snapped her neck."

Ray tossed his bit of wire and stood to go. Rip stopped him. "Dr. Palmer. _Ray._ She may not have the future, but you can give her this moment. Have Gideon show her what you've built, give her a glimpse of times she's only dreamed about. Share something extraordinary with her before you lose her again. She deserves that much."

Ray gave him a tiny ghost of a smile. "Oh, now that's more like what the Doctor does with his companions on _Doctor Who."_

Rip rolled his eyes.

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Love to know what you think! Hopefully have stayed canon-compliant with Arrow as well, but if not please let me know, and I'll do my best to fix any inconsistencies that can be reasonably changed. Thanks for reading!


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